1
馬楊路盧
Ma, Yang, Lu, and Lu
2
馬植，字存之，鳳州刺史勛子也。 第進士，又擢制策科，補校書郎。 由壽州團練副使三遷饒州刺史。 開成初，為安南都護。 精吏事，以文雅絢飾其政，清凈不煩，洞夷便安。 羈縻諸首領皆來納款，遣子弟詣府，請賦租約束。 植奏以武陸縣為陸州，即柬首領為刺史。 既而州部廢池珠復生。 以政最，檢校左散騎常侍，徙黔中觀察使。
Ma Zhi, whose courtesy name was Cunzhi, was the son of Ma Xun, prefect of Fengzhou. He passed the jinshi examination, was also chosen in the decree-examination category, and was appointed a collator. Starting as deputy commissioner of the Shouzhou training circuit, he was promoted three times until he became prefect of Raozhou. At the start of the Kaicheng era he was made Protector-General of Annan. Skilled in administration, he lent literary polish to his governance; his rule was clean and light-handed, and the frontier peoples lived in peace and comfort. The chieftains of the frontier dependencies all came to pledge allegiance, sending sons and younger brothers to the prefectural seat to ask for tax and levy regulations. Zhi memorialized to elevate Wulu County to Luzhou and appoint the Jian chieftain as its prefect. Before long pearls appeared again in the prefecture's abandoned pearl pools. Rated highest for his governance, he was made acting Left Cavalier Attendant-in-Ordinary and transferred to surveillance commissioner of Qianzhong.
3
會昌中，召拜光祿卿，遷大理。 植自以譽望在當時諸公右，久補外，還朝不得要官，為宰相李德裕所抑，內怨望。 宣宗嗣位，白敏中當國，凡德裕所不善，悉不次用之，故植以刑部侍郎領諸道鹽鐵轉運使，遷戶部，俄同中書門下平章事，進中書侍郎。
In the Huichang period he was recalled and appointed Director of the Imperial Table, then moved to the Court of Judicial Review. Zhi believed his renown outranked the other leading men of the day; after long provincial service, he returned to court without receiving a key post and was held down by Chief Minister Li Deyu, nursing resentment inwardly. After Emperor Xuanzong took the throne, Bai Minzhong directed the state; everyone Li Deyu had disliked was promoted out of turn, so Zhi served as Vice Minister of Justice while heading the salt-and-iron transport commissioners of all circuits, moved to the Ministry of Revenue, and soon became Grand Councillor, rising to Vice Director of the Secretariat.
4
初，左軍中尉馬元贄最為帝寵信，賜通天犀帶。 而植素與元贄善，至通昭穆，元贄以賜帶遺之。 它日對便殿，帝識其帶，以詰植，植震恐，具言狀，於是罷為天平軍節度使。 既行，詔捕親吏下御史獄，盡得交私狀，貶常州刺史，以太子賓客分司東都。 起為忠武、宣武節度使，卒。
Earlier, Left Army Commandant Ma Yuanzan was the emperor's most favored and trusted man and was given a belt of penetrating-heaven rhinoceros horn. Zhi had long been close to Yuanzan, even using generational kinship terms with him; Yuanzan gave him the imperial belt as a gift. On another day in the informal audience hall the emperor recognized his belt and questioned Zhi; terrified, Zhi told the whole story, and was removed to serve as military governor of Pingyi. Once he had left, an edict had his close clerks seized and sent to the censorate prison; every private dealing was exposed, and he was demoted to prefect of Changzhou and made Palace Companion with duties at the Eastern Capital. He was recalled to serve as military governor of Zhongwu and Xuanyi, and died.
5
初，植兼集賢殿大學士，校理楊收道與三院御史遇，不肯避，朝長馮緘錄其騶仆辱之。 植怒，奏言：「開元中，麗正殿賜酒，大學士張說以下十八人不知先舉者，說以學士德行相先，遂同舉酒。 今緘辱收，與大學士等。 請斥之。」 中丞令狐援故事論救，宣宗釋不問。 因著令「三館學士不避行臺」，自植始。 臺制：「三院還臺，以一人為朝長雲。」
Earlier, while Zhi also held the post of Grand Academician of the Hall of Assembled Worthies, collator Yang Shou met censors of the three bureaus on the road and refused to yield; morning chief Feng Jian took down his outriders and servants and humiliated him. Zhi, furious, memorialized: "In Kaiyuan, when wine was granted at the Lize Hall, the eighteen grand academicians from Zhang Yue on down did not know who should drink first; Yue said that among academicians precedence follows virtue, and they all raised their cups together. Now Jian has humiliated Shou as though he were on a par with a grand academician. I ask that he be removed. Vice Censor-in-Chief Linghu Yuan cited precedent in pleading for leniency, and Emperor Xuanzong let the matter drop. A regulation was then issued that academicians of the three halls need not yield to the executive terrace—beginning with Zhi. Censorate regulation: "When the three bureaus return to the terrace, one person serves as morning chief."
6
楊收，字藏之，自言隋越國公素之裔，世居馮翊。 父遺直，德宗時，以上書闕下，仕為濠州錄事參軍，客死姑蘇。
Yang Shou, courtesy name Cangzhi, claimed descent from Yang Su, Duke of Yue of Sui, and said his family had long lived in Fupi. His father Yizhi, in Dezong's time, entered office by submitting a memorial at court and served as recording secretary of Haozhou, dying away from home in Gusu.
7
收七歲而孤，處喪若成人。 母長孫親授經，十三通大義。 善屬文，所賦輒就，吳人號神童。 裏人多造門觀賦詩，至壓敗其藩。 收嘲之曰：「爾非羸角者，奚用觸吾藩？」 切當率類此。 及壯，長六尺二寸，廣顙深頤，疏眉目，寡言笑，博學強記，至它藝無不通解。 貧甚，以母奉浮屠法，自幼不食肉。 約曰：「爾得進士第，乃可食。」
Shou lost his father at seven and observed mourning like a grown man. His mother, a Zhangsun, taught him the classics herself; by thirteen he had mastered their broad meaning. Skilled at writing, he finished every fu he undertook on the spot, and the people of Wu called him a prodigy. Neighbors crowded his gate to watch him compose, until they broke down his fence. Shou mocked them: "You are not hornless calves—why butt against my fence? His pointed remarks were generally of this kind. Grown, he stood six feet two inches, with a broad forehead and deep jaw, sparse brows and eyes, and little speech or laughter; widely learned with a formidable memory, there was scarcely any other art he could not master. Very poor, and because his mother followed Buddhism, he had eaten no meat since childhood. She bound him: "Only when you pass the jinshi examination may you eat meat."
8
涔陽耕得古鐘，高尺餘，收扣之，曰：「此姑洗角也。」 既劀拭，有刻在兩欒，果然。 嘗言：「琴通黃鐘、姑洗、無射三均，側出諸調，由羅蔦附灌木然。」 時有安涚者，世稱善琴，且知音。 收問：「五弦外，其二雲何？」 涚曰：「世謂周文、武二王所加者。」 收曰：「能為《文王操》乎？」 涚即以黃鐘為宮而奏之，以少商應大弦，收曰：「止！ 如子之言，少商，武弦也。 且文世安得武聲乎？」 涚大驚，因問樂意，收曰：「樂亡久矣。 上古祀天地宗廟，皆不用商。 周人歌大呂、舞《雲門》以俟天神，歌太蔟、舞《鹹池》以俟地祇。 大呂、黃鐘之合，陽聲之首。 而《雲門》，黃帝樂也； 《鹹池》，堯樂也。 不敢用黃鐘，而以太蔟次之。 然則祭天者，圜鐘為宮，黃鐘為角，太蔟為徵，姑洗為羽； 祭地者，函鐘為宮，太蔟為角，姑洗為徵，南呂為羽。 訖不用商及二少。 蓋商聲剛而二少聲下，所以取其正、裁其繁也。 漢祭天則用商，而宗廟不用，謂鬼神畏商之剛。 西京諸儒惑圜鐘、函鐘之說，故其自受命，郊祀、宗廟樂，唯用黃鐘一均。 章帝時，太常丞鮑業始旋十二宮。 夫旋宮以七聲為均，均，言韻也，古無韻字，猶言一韻聲也。 始以某律為宮，某律為商，某律為角，某律為徵，某律為羽，某律少宮，某律少徵，亦曰『變』，曰『比』。 一均成則五聲為之節族，此旋宮也。」 乃取律次之以示
Plowing at Cenyang he turned up an ancient bell more than a foot high; Shou struck it and said, "This is the jue pitch of Guxian. Once scraped and cleaned, an inscription on both raised bands proved him right. He once said, "The qin spans the three keys of Huangzhong, Guxian, and Wuyi; subsidiary modes branch off like bindweed clinging to shrubs. At the time there was An Shu, renowned for skill on the qin and for understanding music. Shou asked, "Beyond the five strings, what are the other two? Shu said, "People say Kings Wen and Wu of Zhou added them." Shou said, "Can you play the Ballad of King Wen?" Shu at once took Huangzhong as tonic and played, answering the great string with lesser shang; Shou said, "Stop! As you say, lesser shang is King Wu's string. Besides, how could King Wu's sound appear in King Wen's age?" Shu was astonished and asked about musical meaning; Shou said, "Music has been lost for a long time. In high antiquity, sacrifices to Heaven, Earth, and the ancestral temples all avoided the shang mode. The Zhou sang Dalü and danced the Cloud Gate to await the heavenly spirit, and sang Taicu and danced the Brine Pool to await the earthly spirit. The pairing of Dalü and Huangzhong is the head of the yang pitches. Yet the Cloud Gate is the Yellow Emperor's music; the Brine Pool is Yao's music. They dared not use Huangzhong and therefore set Taicu next instead. Thus for sacrifices to Heaven, Yuanzhong was tonic, Huangzhong jue, Taicu zhi, and Guxian yu; for sacrifices to Earth, Hanzhong was tonic, Taicu jue, Guxian zhi, and Nanlü yu. In the end shang and the two lesser pitches were never used. For shang is forceful and the two lesser pitches are low—this was to keep what is correct and cut away excess. The Han used shang for sacrifices to Heaven but not in the ancestral temple, saying spirits fear shang's force. Western Capital scholars were misled by doctrines of Yuanzhong and Hanzhong, so from receiving the Mandate onward suburban and ancestral temple music used only the Huangzhong key. Under Emperor Zhang, Vice Director of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices Bao Ye first rotated the twelve keys. Rotating keys treats the seven pitches as a key; jun means rhyme—in antiquity there was no separate character for rhyme, so it is like speaking of one rhyming sound. First one pitch serves as tonic, another as shang, jue, zhi, yu, lesser tonic, and lesser zhi—also called change and comparison. When one key is complete, the five pitches form its scale—this is key rotation." He then arranged the pitches in order to show
9
涚。 涚時七十餘，以為未始聞，而收未冠也。
Shu. Shu was then over seventy and thought he had never heard the like, while Shou had not yet come of age.
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以兄假未仕，不肯舉進士。 既假褫褐，乃入京師。 明年，擢進士，杜悰表署淮南推官。 悰領度支，又節度劍南東西川，輒隨府三遷。 宰相馬植表為渭南尉、集賢校理，議補監察御史。 收又以假方外遷，誼不可先，固辭。 植嗟美為止。 復為悰節度府判官。 蜀有可縣，直巂州西南，地寬平，多水泉，可灌粳稻。 或謂悰計興屯田，省轉饋以飽邊士，悰將從之，收曰：「田可致，兵不可得。 且地當蠻沖，本非中國。 今輟西南屯士往耕，則姚、巂兵少，賊得乘間。 若調兵捍賊，則民疲士怨。 假令大穰，蠻得長驅，是資賊糧，豈國計耶？」 乃止。
Because his elder brother Jia had not yet entered office, he refused to sit for the jinshi examination. Once Jia had laid aside his commoner's robe, he entered the capital. The next year he passed the jinshi examination, and Du Cong recommended him as Huainan investigating officer. Cong headed the revenue bureau and also governed the eastern and western Jiannan circuits; Shou followed his staff and was promoted three times. Chief Minister Ma Zhi recommended him as magistrate of Weinan and collator of the Hall of Assembled Worthies and proposed him for investigating censor. Shou also said that with Jia being transferred outside the capital, propriety forbade his going first, and he firmly declined. Zhi sighed in admiration and dropped the matter. He again served as judge on Cong's military governorship staff. In Shu there was Keyi County, directly southwest of Qiongzhou; the land was broad and level, with many springs suitable for irrigating glutinous rice. Someone urged Cong to open military colonies to cut transport costs and feed the border troops; Cong was about to agree when Shou said, "Fields can be created, but troops cannot be had. Besides, the land lies on the barbarian frontier and was never truly Chinese territory. If we now divert southwestern garrison troops to farming, Yao and Qiong will be understrength and bandits can seize their chance. If troops are mobilized to fight bandits, the people will be worn out and the soldiers resentful. Even with a great harvest, barbarians could drive deep inland—this would supply the enemy with grain; how could that serve the state's interest? Cong then dropped the plan.
11
始，周墀罷宰相，節度東川，表其弟嚴掌書記。 俄而墀卒，悰辟為觀察使判官，兄弟並在幕府。 未幾，假自浙西判官擢監察御史，而收亦自西川遷，兄弟同臺，世榮其友。 以詳禮學改太常博士，而嚴亦自揚州召為監察禦使。 收因建言：「漢制，總群官而聽曰省，分務而專治曰寺。 太常，分務專治者也，所以藏天子之旗常。 今旗常因車飾隸太仆，非是。」 未及行，以母喪免。 服除，從淮南崔鉉府為支使。 還，拜侍御史。 夏侯孜以宰相領度支，引判度支案。 遷長安令。
Earlier, when Zhou Chi left the chief ministership to govern Dongchuan, he recommended his younger brother Yan as recorder. Soon Chi died; Cong took Yan on as judge under the surveillance commissioner, and the brothers served together on the same staff. Before long Jia was promoted from Zhexi judge to investigating censor, and Shou also returned from Xichuan; the brothers served on the censorate together, and contemporaries honored their bond. For his mastery of ritual studies he was made Erudite of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, while Yan was also recalled from Yangzhou as investigating censor. Shou then proposed: "Under Han institutions, offices that oversee all officials and hear cases are called sheng; those that divide duties for specialized administration are called si. The Court of Imperial Sacrifices divides duties for specialized administration—it is where the Son of Heaven's banners and regalia are kept. Now banners and regalia follow carriage fittings under the Court of the Imperial Stud, which is wrong. Before this could be enacted, he left office to mourn his mother. When mourning ended, he joined Cui Xian's Huainan staff as administrative aide. On returning he was appointed attendant censor. Xiahou Zi, serving as chief minister, also headed the revenue bureau and brought Shou in to judge revenue cases. He was transferred to magistrate of Chang'an.
12
懿宗時，擢累中書舍人、翰林學士承旨，以中書侍郎同中書門下平章事。 始，南蠻自大中以來，火邕州，掠交趾，調華人往屯，涉氛瘴死者十七，戰無功，蠻勢益張。 收議豫章募士三萬，置鎮南軍以拒蠻。 悉教蹋張，戰必註滿，蠻不能支。 又峙食泛舟餉南海。 天子嘉其功，進尚書右仆射，封晉陽縣男。
Under Emperor Yizong he rose in succession to Secretariat Drafter, Chief Academician of the Hanlin Academy, and Grand Councillor as Vice Director of the Secretariat. Since the Dazhong era the southern barbarians had burned Yongzhou and raided Jiaozhi; Chinese settlers were sent to garrison the region, seven in ten dying in the miasma, campaigns achieving nothing while barbarian power grew ever stronger. Shou proposed recruiting thirty thousand men from Yuzhang and establishing the Army to Pacify the South to hold the barbarians at bay. They were all taught foot-drawn crossbows and always shot at full draw in battle; the barbarians could not stand against them. He also stockpiled grain and shipped it by boat to supply the Southern Sea command. The emperor praised his achievement, promoted him to Right Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs, and enfeoffed him as Baron of Jinyang.
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既益貴，稍自盛滿，為誇侈，門吏童客倚為奸。 中尉楊玄價得君，而收與之厚，收之相，玄價實左右之； 乃招四方賕餉數千諉收，不能從，玄價以負己，大恚，陰加毀短。 知政凡五年，罷為宣歙觀察使，不敢當兩使稟料，但受刺史俸，留公藏錢七百萬。 韋保衡又劾收前用嚴譔為江西節度使，受謝百萬，及它隱盜。 明年，貶端州司馬。 吏具大舟以須，收不從，曰：「方謫去，可乎？」 以二小舸趨官。 又明年，流州，俄詔內養追賜死。 收得詔，謝曰：「輔政無狀，固宜死。 今獨一弟嚴以奉先人之祀，使者能假須臾使秉筆乎？」 使者從之。 收自作書謝天子，丐弟嚴死，奉先臣後。 以書授使者，即仰鴆死。 帝見書惻然，乃宥嚴，坐收流死者十一人。 後三年，詔追雪其辜，復官爵。 子鉅、鏻。
As he grew still more eminent, he gradually became self-important, indulged in display, and his gate clerks and household boys relied on him to commit abuses. Commandant Yang Xuanjia had won the emperor's favor, and Shou was close to him; when Shou became chief minister, Xuanjia in fact guided him from behind; He then summoned bribes and gifts from all quarters by the thousands to denounce Shou, but Shou would not go along; Xuanjia took it as a personal slight and was furious, secretly slandering him. He governed for five years in all, was removed to surveillance commissioner of Xuanshe, refused the two commissioners' allowance and took only a prefect's salary, leaving seven million cash in the public treasury. Wei Baoheng also impeached Shou for earlier appointing Yan Zan military governor of Jiangxi and accepting a million in bribes, along with other concealed thefts. The next year he was demoted to vice prefect of Duanzhou. Clerks prepared a large boat for him; Shou refused and said, "I am only being banished—how is that acceptable? He took two small boats and hurried to his post. The next year he was exiled to Liuzhou; soon an edict recalled him for internal retention and ordered death by poison. Receiving the edict, Shou said, "As chief minister I was without merit and surely deserve death. Now only my younger brother Yan carries on sacrifice to our forebears—can the envoy grant me a moment to write? The envoy agreed. Shou himself wrote thanking the emperor, begging that his younger brother Yan die instead and continue their father's line. He gave the letter to the envoy and at once drank poison and died. The emperor, moved by the letter, pardoned Yan; eleven men were punished with exile on Shou's account. Three years later an edict posthumously cleared his guilt and restored his offices and titles. His sons were Ju and Lin.
14
鉅，乾寧初為翰林學士，從入洛，終散騎常侍。 鏻至戶部尚書。
Ju, at the start of Qianning, was a Hanlin academician, followed the court into Luoyang, and ended as Cavalier Attendant-in-Ordinary. Lin rose to Minister of Revenue.
15
收兄發，字至之。 登進士，又中拔萃，累官左司郎中。 宣宗追加順、憲二宗尊號，有司議改造廟主，署新謚，詔百官議。 發與都官郎中盧搏以為改作主，求古無文，執不可。 知禮者韙之。 改太常少卿，為蘇州刺史，治以恭長慈幼為先。 徙福建觀察使，又以能政聞。 朝廷意有治劇才，拜嶺南節度使。 承前寬弛，發操下剛嚴，軍遂怨，起為亂，囚傳舍，貶婺州刺史。
Shou's elder brother Fa, courtesy name Zhizhi. He passed the jinshi examination and the special selection, rising to Left Department Director. When Emperor Xuanzong added posthumous honorific titles for Emperors Shun and Xian, the relevant offices debated remaking temple tablets and affixing new posthumous designations, and an edict ordered all officials to discuss it. Fa, with Director of the Bureau of Review Lu Bo, held that remaking the main tablets had no ancient precedent and firmly opposed it. Those versed in ritual approved. He was made Vice Director of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, then prefect of Suzhou, putting respect for elders and kindness to the young first in his governance. He was transferred to surveillance commissioner of Fujian and was again known for capable administration. The court believed he had talent for governing difficult regions and made him military governor of Lingnan. Following previous lenient rule, Fa enforced strict discipline; the army resented him, rebelled, imprisoned him at the relay station, and he was demoted to prefect of Wuzhou.
16
假，字仁之，仕終常州刺史。 收與昆弟護喪葬偃師，會者千人。
Jia, courtesy name Renzhi, served to the end as prefect of Changzhou. Shou and his brothers escorted the coffin to burial at Yanshi, with a thousand in attendance.
17
嚴，字凜之，舉進士。 時王起選士三十人，而楊知至、竇緘、源重、鄭樸及嚴五人皆世胄，起以聞，詔獨收嚴。 累遷至工部侍郎、翰林學士。 收知政，請補外，拜浙東觀察使。 收貶，嚴亦斥為邵州刺史，徙吉王傅。 乾符中，以兵部侍郎判度支，卒。 子涉、註。
Yan, courtesy name Linzhi, passed the jinshi examination. Wang Qi then selected thirty candidates; Yang Zhizhi, Dou Jian, Yuan Chong, Zheng Pu, and Yan—five men from eminent houses—were among them; Qi reported this, and an edict ordered Yan alone accepted. He rose in succession to Vice Minister of Works and Hanlin academician. When Shou held power he asked for an outside post and was made surveillance commissioner of Zhedong. When Shou was demoted, Yan was dismissed to prefect of Shaozhou and made tutor of the Prince of Ji. In the Qianfu era he served as Vice Minister of War judging revenue cases, then died. His sons were She and Zhu.
18
涉，昭宗時，仕至吏部侍郎。 哀帝時，進同中書門下平章事。 為人端重有禮法。 方賊臣陵慢，王室殘蕩，賢人多罹患。 涉受命，與家人泣，語其子凝式曰：「世道方極，吾嬰網羅不能去，將重不幸，禍且累汝。」 然以謙靖，終免於禍。 註為翰林學士。 涉已相，辭內職，為戶部侍郎。
She, under Emperor Zhaozong, rose to Vice Minister of Personnel. Under Emperor Aidi he was advanced to Grand Councillor. He was dignified and observant of ritual propriety. Rebel ministers were overbearing, the royal house battered, and worthy men mostly fell into trouble. On receiving appointment, She wept with his family and told his son Ningshi, "The age is at its extreme; I am caught in the net and cannot leave, and fresh misfortune awaits—disaster will reach even you. Yet through modesty and restraint he ultimately escaped calamity. Zhu was a Hanlin academician. After She became chief minister he resigned his inner-court post and was made Vice Minister of Revenue.
19
路巖，字魯瞻，魏州冠氏人。 父群，字正夫，通經術，善屬文。 性誌純潔，親歿，終身不肉食。 累官中書舍人、翰林學士承旨，文宗優遇之。 居循循謙飭，若不在勢位者。 所與交，雖褐衣之賤，待以禮，始終一節。
Lu Yan, courtesy name Luzhan, was from Guanshi in Weizhou. His father Qun, courtesy name Zhengfu, mastered the classics and was skilled at composition. Pure and upright by nature, after his parents died he ate no meat for the rest of his life. He rose to Secretariat Drafter and Chief Hanlin Academician, and Emperor Wenzong treated him with special favor. In conduct he was steadily modest and restrained, as if he held no power. Those he associated with, even men in coarse cloth of humble rank, he treated with courtesy from first to last without change.
20
巖幼惠敏過人，及進士第，父時故人在方鎮者交辟之，久乃答。 懿宗咸通初，自屯田員外郎入翰林為學士，以兵部侍郎同中書門下平章事，年三十六。 居位八歲，進至尚書左仆射。
Yan in youth was exceptionally clever; after passing jinshi, his father's old friends in regional commands all invited him, and only after long delay did he respond. At the start of Xiantong under Emperor Yizong he entered the Hanlin from outer-court member of the Ministry of Revenue, became academician, then Grand Councillor as Vice Minister of War at thirty-six. He held office eight years and advanced to Left Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs.
21
於是王政秕僻，宰相得用事。 巖顧天子荒暗，且以政委己，乃通賂遺，奢肆不法。 俄與韋保衡同當國，二人勢動天下，時目其黨為「牛頭阿旁」，言如鬼陰惡可畏也。 既權侔則爭，故與保衡還相惡。 俄罷巖為劍南西川節度使，承蠻盜邊後，巖力拊循，置定邊軍於邛州，扼大度，治故關，取壇丁子弟教擊刺，使補屯籍，由是西山八國來朝。 以勞遷兼中書令，封魏國公。
Royal government was corrupt and perverse, and chief ministers could wield power. Seeing the emperor benighted and authority resting with himself, Yan trafficked in bribes and indulged in extravagance and lawlessness. Soon he shared power with Wei Baoheng; their influence shook the empire, and contemporaries called their faction Ox-Head and A-Bang, like secret, fearsome demons. Once their powers were equal they quarreled, and he and Baoheng came to hate each other. Soon Yan was sent to govern Jiannan West; after barbarian raids he worked to pacify the border, established the Army to Secure the Border at Qiongzhou, blocked Dadu, restored old passes, trained Tanding youths in arms to fill garrison rolls, and the eight Western Hill kingdoms came to court. For his labors he was made concurrent Director of the Secretariat and enfeoffed Duke of Wei.
22
始，為相時，委事親吏邊鹹。 會至德令陳蟠叟奏書願請間言財利，帝召見，則曰：「臣願破邊鹹家，可佐軍興。」 帝問：「鹹何人？」 對曰：「宰相巖親吏也。」 帝怒，斥蟠叟，自是人無敢言。 鹹乃與郭籌者相依倚為奸，巖不甚制，軍中惟邊將軍、郭司馬爾，妄給與以結士心。 嘗閱武都場，鹹、籌蒞之，其議事以書相示則焚之，軍中驚，以有異圖，恟恟，遂聞京師。 巖坐是徙荊南節度使，道貶新州刺史，至江陵，免官，流儋州，籍入其家。 巖體貌偉麗，美須髯，至江陵兩昔皆白。 捕誅鹹、籌等。 巖至新州，詔賜死，剔取喉，上有司。 或言巖嘗密請「三品以上得罪誅殛，剔取喉驗其已死」。 俄而自及。
Earlier, as chief minister, he entrusted affairs to his close clerk Bian Xian. Chen Pansou, magistrate of Zhide, asked a private audience on finances; summoned, he said, "I wish to break up Bian Xian's household to aid military expenditure. The emperor asked, "Who is Xian?" He answered, "Chief Minister Yan's close clerk." The emperor was angry and dismissed Pansou; thereafter no one dared speak. Xian then relied on Guo Chou for wrongdoing; Yan scarcely restrained them, and in the army only General Bian and Marshal Guo gave rewards at will to win soldiers' hearts. Reviewing troops at Wudu field, Xian and Chou attended; when they showed written plans they burned them; the army was alarmed at secret designs, and uproar reached the capital. Yan was transferred to Jingnan; on the road demoted to prefect of Xinzhou; at Jiangling stripped of office, exiled to Danzhou, household confiscated. Yan was tall and handsome with a fine beard; by Jiangling both temples had turned white. Xian, Chou, and the rest were captured and executed. At Xinzhou an edict granted death by poison; his throat was cut out and sent to the relevant office. Some said Yan had once secretly requested that for third-rank offenders and above who were executed, the throat be cut out to verify death. Soon it fell on him.
23
保衡者，京兆人，字蘊用。 父愨，宣宗時，終武昌軍節度使。 保衡，咸通中，以右拾遺尚同昌公主，遷起居郎、駙馬都尉。 主，郭淑妃所生，懿宗所愛，而妃有寵，故恩禮最異，悉宮中珍玩資予之。 俄歷翰林學士承旨，以兵部侍郎同中書門下平章事，自尚主至是裁再期。 又進門下侍郎、尚書右仆射。
Baoheng was from Jingzhao, courtesy name Yunyong. His father Que, under Emperor Xuanzong, ended as military governor of Wuchang. In Xiantong, as Right Reminder he married Princess Tongchang and became Attendant of the Bedchamber and Commandant of the Imperial Son-in-law. The princess was Consort Guo Shufei's daughter, whom Yizong loved; the consort was favored, so honors were exceptional and all palace treasures were lavished on her. Soon he was Chief Hanlin Academician and Grand Councillor as Vice Minister of War—from marrying the princess barely two years had passed. He was further advanced to Vice Director of the Chancery and Right Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs.
24
性浮淺，既恃恩據權，以嫌愛自肆，所悅即擢，不悅擠之。 保衡舉進士王鐸第，於籍、蕭遘與同升，以嘗薄於己，皆見斥。 逐楊收，傾路巖，人益畏之。 主薨，而寵遇不衰。 僖宗立，進司徒。 俄為怨家白髮陰罪，貶賀州刺史，再貶澄邁令，遂賜死。
Shallow by nature, once he relied on favor and power he indulged likes and dislikes—promoting favorites and squeezing out others. Baoheng had ranked Wang Duo in jinshi; Yu Ji and Xiao Gun rose with him, but because they had slighted him, all were dismissed. He drove out Yang Shou and overthrew Lu Yan, and people feared him all the more. The princess died, yet favor did not decline. When Emperor Xizong took the throne, he was advanced to Minister of Works. Soon enemies exposed his hidden crimes; he was demoted to prefect of Hezhou, again to magistrate of Chengmai, and finally granted death by poison.
25
弟保乂，自兵部侍郎貶賓州司戶參軍。 而劉瞻等坐主薨見貶者，偕復起。
His younger brother Baoyi was demoted from Vice Minister of War to registrar of Binzhou. Liu Zhan and others demoted on account of the princess's death were all restored together.
26
盧攜，字子升，其先本范陽，世居鄭。 擢進士第，被辟浙東府。 入朝為右拾遺，歷臺省，累進戶部侍郎、翰林學士承旨。 乾符五年，進同中書門下平章事。 俄拜中書侍郎、刑部尚書、弘文館大學士。 攜姿陋而語不正，與鄭畋俱李翺甥，同位宰相，然所處議多駁。
Lu Xie, courtesy name Zisheng—his ancestors were originally from Fanyang and for generations lived in Zheng. He passed jinshi and was recruited into the Zhedong staff. Entering court as Right Reminder, he passed through the censorate and secretariat, rising to Vice Minister of Revenue and Chief Hanlin Academician. In the fifth year of Qianfu he was advanced to Grand Councillor. Soon he was Vice Director of the Secretariat, Minister of Justice, and Grand Academician of the Hongwen Hall. Xie was ugly and did not speak properly; he and Zheng Tian were both Li Ao's nephews and served together as chief ministers, yet their policy views often clashed.
27
初，王仙芝起河南，攜表宋威、齊克讓、曾袞皆善將，為招討使。 及威殺尚君長，賊熾結，益不制，乃以王鐸鎮荊南，為諸道都統。 攜不悅。 是時，黃巢已破廣州，勢張甚，表求天平節度使，詔宰相百官議。 攜素厚高駢，屬令立功，乃固不可巢請，又欲激巢使戰而敗鐸，因授率府率。 又徇駢與南詔和親，與畋爭，相恨詈，繇是罷為太子賓客，分司東都。 俄為兵部尚書。 會駢將張璘破賊，帝復召攜以門下侍郎同平章事。 及鐸失守，以駢代之，即按關東諸將為鐸、畋所任者，悉易置。 內倚田令孜，而外寄戎政於駢，與奪惟所愛惡。
When Wang Xianzhi rose in Henan, Xie memorialized that Song Wei, Qi Kerang, and Zeng Gun were skilled generals and should be suppression commissioners. When Wei killed Shang Junzhang the rebels grew fiercer and less controllable; Wang Duo was stationed at Jingnan as overall commander of all circuits. Xie was displeased. Huang Chao had already taken Guangzhou and his power was vast; he requested military governor of Pingyi, and an edict ordered chief ministers and officials to discuss it. Xie was close to Gao Pian and wished him merit; he firmly opposed Chao's request, also hoping to provoke Chao to fight and defeat Duo, and appointed him Rate-Setting Colonel. He also indulged Pian in peace with Nanzhao; he quarreled with Tian in mutual hatred, and was dismissed to Palace Companion at the Eastern Capital. Soon he was made Minister of War. When Pian's general Zhang Lin defeated the rebels, the emperor again summoned Xie as Vice Director of the Chancery and Grand Councillor. When Duo lost his post, Pian replaced him; he then reviewed eastern-pass generals appointed by Duo and Tian and replaced them all. Within he relied on Tian Lingzi, while outwardly he entrusted military affairs to Pian, appointing and dismissing as he pleased.
28
後病風足蹇，神智瞑塞，事多決於親吏楊溫、李脩，賄賂顯行。 及巢破淮南，璘戰死，忠武兵亂，天下危懼，人皆咎攜，始下詔以巢為天平節度使。 詔下，賊已破潼關。 明日，以太子賓客罷，分司東都，是夜仰藥死。 巢入京師，斫棺磔屍於長安市。 子晏，天祐初為河南尉，柳璨殺之。
Later he fell ill with wind paralysis and lame feet, his mind dim; most affairs were decided by close clerks Yang Wen and Li Xiu, and bribery flourished openly. When Chao broke Huainan, Lin died in battle, and the Zhongwu army mutinied; the empire was terrified and all blamed Xie; only then was an edict issued making Chao military governor of Pingyi. When the edict was issued, the rebels had already broken Tong Pass. The next day he was dismissed as Palace Companion at the Eastern Capital; that night he took poison and died. When Chao entered the capital he hacked open the coffin and exposed the corpse in Chang'an marketplace. His son Yan, at the start of Tianyou served as magistrate of Henan; Liu Can killed him.
29
贊曰：盧攜之敗王鐸，私高駢，賊遂卷鹹、鎬而西，易若舉毛，可謂朝無人焉。 唐將亡，攜為之鴟梟，宜天之假手於賊而磔其枯胔也。
The appraisal says: Lu Xie's undoing of Wang Duo and private favoring of Gao Pian let the rebels sweep through Xian and Hao westward as easily as lifting a hair—the court had no one fit for the task. As Tang was about to perish, Xie was its owl and kite; Heaven rightly used the rebels to hack apart his dried corpse.